In a basic desktop computing environment, a printer or other document production device is connected directly or indirectly via a network to a computer. To produce a document, a user either opens or creates an electronic document using a word processor or other application. The user then selects a production icon or enters a production command causing the application or other programming to present an interface enabling the user to select a production service such as a printer. With the production service selected, a driver specific to the selected production service—a printer in this example—generates an interface allowing the user to select production settings for utilizing the features of the selected production device. Among others, these features can include the ability to produce a specified number of copies, to print at a specified resolution, and to utilize specified paper source and output bins. With the desired settings selected, the driver formats the production request into a specialized series of commands directing the printer to produce the document on one or more sheets of paper.
In a more complex environment, the computer and production services are components of a larger network of hardware and programming. When issuing a production request, the user is prompted to select a particular production service available to that user on the network. With the service selected, the process continues as above. However, more than one user may direct a production request to a given service. Because a production service such as a printer can only produce one document at a time, multiple requests simultaneously directed to a single production service are stored in a central queue. The queued requests are released one at a time as the production service becomes available.
Periodically, a production service becomes inoperable. For example, a printer may run out of paper or imaging material such as toner or ink. Production requests are then held in the queue until the service becomes available. For some requests, timely production can be critical. When printing a postage label for a parcel or letter, the user often times will be inconvenienced by any significant delays.
When an important production request is delayed, the user may choose to delete the request from the queue and direct the production request to an operable service. Alternatively, programming managing the queue may automatically reroute the original production request to an operable production service. In either case, significant user intervention is required when production settings selected for the inoperable production service are not supported by the operable production service. As an example, a user desiring to print a postage label directs a production request to a printer capable of producing fluorescent franking. When that device is rendered inoperable, some form of user intervention is required to produce the same label on another device not capable of fluorescent franking.